Live chat: 2012 NBA Draft

Three years ago, I took it upon myself to step over the line that divides college basketball from the pros, and wrote a post criticizing the 76ers' first-round selection in the 2009 NBA Draft.

"I was under the impression that the Sixers needed point guard help right now," I said at the time, and it was true. "If [the player the 76ers drafted] turns out to be as good as Deron Williams, that will be great... But if it was up to me, I would have chosen a more proven commodity."

And I concluded: "Perhaps [the player] will turn out to be a star, and he'll become the kind of leader the 76ers envision."

Well, Jrue Holiday did exactly that. My judgement of Holiday's potential was proven wrong, and I'll be the first to admit it.

Tonight, I come before you to host a live chat during the NBA Draft. And as was the case back then, I have an impression of the 76ers: They need help at a specific position right now.

This time, they need a big man instead of a guard. But like in 2009, the 76ers' first pick is the middle of the first round. It was No. 17 then, it's No. 15 now. There will be big men available, but none of them will be absolute certainties to deliver at the NBA level.

The more likely certainties who may be available are guards: Washington's Terrence Ross and Duke's Austin Rivers. Either would be fine selections - Ross in particular, from where I sit - but neither would solve the frontcourt problem.

So here I go again, and here go the Sixers again. We know who the first overall pick will be - New Orleans will surely select Kentucky's Anthony Davis - but we don't know much else, regarding the 76ers or otherwise.

That should give us plenty to talk about tonight, though. And in addition to tracking the 76ers' picks, we'll keep an eye on the local products in the draft pool: Maalik Wayns, Zack Rosen, Ramone Moore, Dion Waiters, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and others.

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